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Undersecretary says diversifying markets is key

The trade war with China has highlighted the need to develop other export markets for US agricultural goods. Undersecretary for Trade Ted McKinney says trade agreements with countries like China, Japan, and Canada and Mexico are important, but so is developing relationships with smaller markets.

“Wherever there is a new population coming, we need to be,” he says.  “And that’s why we’re spending a lot of time in Asia-Pacific and Central and South America.  And next year we’re ramping up more significantly in Africa.  They want our stuff and our quality of the product is beyond reproach.”

He tells Brownfield his goal is to diversify market access for US ag. “If China, the USMCA countries, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan – if those countries are our triple and home run markets, we’re going after those,” he says.  “But also, single and double markets.  And we know baseball games are usually won by singles and doubles more.”

Since taking his post he’s traveled more than 400,000 miles and to 25 different countries working to develop new markets for US agricultural goods.

AUDIO: Undersecretary Ted McKinney